DeZutter seeking re-election to Mendon-Upton school committee

UPTON - Current Mendon-Upton School Committee Chairman Phil DeZutter will be looking to retain his seat at the town election next month, saying he looks forward to seeing how new educational initiatives progress.

DeZutter is running unopposed in the May 5 election for what would be his second full term in office. He was appointed in December 2011 to serve the remainder of a resigned committee member's term, and was elected to the position the following year.

"Overall, I think the challenge in the coming years will be our ability to continue to make progress in implementing our strategic plan," he said. "We've made good progress in getting things aligned, and the next step is to continue to execute upon that plan."

He said he hopes to see the district expand on new developments, like the introduction of iPads into the classroom and the hiring of a curriculum coordinator.

"We have a lot of great educators, and we have a great student base," he said. "The key is being able to continue the momentum we have. We need to be taking steps to increase not just the usage, but the effective usage, of these things."

DeZutter, an Upton resident since 1999, said there are a number of initiatives coming up that interest him.

"There's progress being made in our special education program, and we've put some focus on our athletic and sports programs," he said, referring to efforts to bring down the district's athletic user fees, which are higher than those for neighboring schools.

He did say there is some uncertainty ahead, with the new PARCC assessment system and the Common Core Curriculum implementation.

"I do think that's going to be a challenge in the years ahead," he said. "If you look back, there was a lot of great work done around these programs, but it's less well-defined now.

"The other question for the school committee is the discussion about how to handle the unfunded mandates that come our way," he added.

Mike Gleason can be reached at 508-634-7546 or mgleason@wickedlocal.com. For news throughout the day, follow him on Twitter @MGleason_MDN.